Pakistan stun sloppy New Zealand to reach T20 World Cup final
SYDNEY. — Pakistan reached the ICC Men’s T20 Cricket World Cup final after a thunderous seven-wicket win over New Zealand in Sydney yesterday.
Chasing 153 to win, Pakistan openers Babar Azam and Mohammad Rizwan hit half-centuries in an opening stand of 105 to tee up a stunning victory. Shan Masood hit the winning runs with five balls to spare to send the Pakistan fans wild at an electric SCG.
Daryl Mitchell had earlier hit an unbeaten half-century as New Zealand recovered from 49-3 to post 152-4.
Pakistan will now play England or India — who meet today — in Sunday’s final in Melbourne. It continues a stunning comeback for Pakistan, who were on the brink of elimination after losing to rivals India and then Zimbabwe in their first two matches of the tournament.
They needed a shock defeat of South Africa by the Netherlands to keep their hopes alive, but they are now just one match away from a second T20 World Cup triumph.
Pakistan made an awful start to this tournament but now seem to have almost unstoppable momentum as they look to repeat their success in the 1992 50-over World Cup in Australia. They made a terrible start to that competition too, losing their first three group matches, but a dramatic revival — including a semi-final win over New Zealand — carried them to victory over England in the final.
There seems to be a similar sense of destiny here as they ride the crest of a wave fuelled by their boisterous, passionate support, who once against gathered in great numbers.
They blew New Zealand away largely thanks to a wonderful start with the bat by Babar and Rizwan, who have struggled for fluency this tournament but finally fired when it mattered.
A brutal opening assault lifted them to 55-0 after the powerplay and when they reached 87-0 at the halfway stage, the Kiwi players looked stunned.
Babar was eventually dismissed when he looked to heave Boult for six but instead holed out to Mitchell at long-on, but his 53 from 42 balls was more than he has scored in five previous innings at this World Cup combined.
Two more late wickets, including that of Rizwan for 57 from 43 balls, briefly had Pakistan nerves fluttering, but Masood saw them over the line to complete a comprehensive victory. In contrast to Pakistan, New Zealand made almost serene progress to this stage after beginning their tournament with a thumping win over hosts Australia.
But they looked utterly bewildered here and can have few complaints with the result.
The tone of the match was set in the opening over, with Finn Allen driving Shaheen Afridi’s first ball of the match for four before being given out lbw off the following delivery.
Allen successfully overturned the decision after replays showed a thick inside edge, but another vicious inswinger from Shaheen trapped him in front next ball to gee up an already excitable crowd. Mitchell and Williamson doggedly rebuilt the innings after the Black Caps slipped to 49-3, but hit just five boundaries in a 68-run partnership for the fourth wicket.